Soccer returns to Leicester 2 weeks after team owner's death

Leicester players led thousands of fans on a walk from the centre of the city to the club's stadium as soccer returned home for the first time since the death of the owner who oversaw the team's transformation into improbable English Premier League champions.

Players, fans pay tribute prior to Saturday's match against Burnley

Rob Harris · The Associated Press · November 10

Leicester City players warm up whilst wearing shirts in tribute to Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha prior to their Premier League match against Burnley FC on Saturday. (Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Leicester players led thousands of fans on a walk from the centre of the city to the club's stadium as soccer returned home for the first time since the death of the owner who oversaw the team's transformation into improbable English Premier League champions.

Starting at Jubilee Square and ending at King Power Stadium, thousands of people - joined by Leicester City players - have walked to today's game in a show of solidarity between the people of Leicester and the world. <a href="https://t.co/u5IIY3ibS9">pic.twitter.com/u5IIY3ibS9</a>

The march ended close to the scene of the helicopter crash next to the King Power Stadium that killed Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four other people after Leicester's last home game two weeks ago.

Harry Maguire was among players who joined the "5,000-1 walk," which was named after Leicester's title odds going into the 2015-16 season that ended with the trophy being collected.

Inside the stadium, before Saturday's Premier League game against Burnley, fans watched in silence as a tribute video to Vichai was played. Two minutes of silence honoured the five crash victims and also marked the centenary since the end of World War I.

The hundreds of soccer jerseys and club banners from Leicester and beyond that were placed outside the stadium in the days after the disaster have now been placed on railings nearby. A carpet of floral tributes has formed in front of a picture of Vichai and the word "boss" in blue and white flowers.

They were inspected by Vichai's son, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, who is vice chairman.

Popular Now

Comments

To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.

By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.